


The Painted Veil AU

by elimaria



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-07
Updated: 2019-08-07
Packaged: 2020-08-12 04:07:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,052
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20153557
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elimaria/pseuds/elimaria
Summary: Based off of the movie/novel The Painted Veil with the ZK pairing.In the midst of a cholera epidemic, Katara is thrust into the world of sickness and despair. Left in a loveless marriage to the doctor/microbiologist, Zuko.





	The Painted Veil AU

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone! I've decided to try my hand at writing again. I've also decided to write based off of my favorite movie, The Painted Veil. I thought I could add my own spin of it with my favorite pairing: Zutara. The characters are very OOC due to the fact that I want them to mirror Kitty and Walter in the novel/movie. I hope this isn't too distasteful. I would really appreciate some feedback! The Painted Veil story is also a little altered due to the fact that I want it to also follow the Avatar story???? 
> 
> I suggest watching the Painted Veil before reading this fic. I really hope I follow through with this finishing this! This will probably be multi-chaptered. 
> 
> Enjoy!

He was merely a doctor. A bacteriologist. A borish occupation that Katara didn’t find fascinating one bit. He was just as boring as his occupation. She knew she didn’t love him despite Zuko being completely and utterly smitten by her. 

Katara was considered spontaneous and wild in her time. Smoking cigarettes, wearing dresses that came to her knees, completely scandalous. Though that was the twenties scandalous, but nonetheless, it was taboo. She met Zuko at a dinner party her father threw. She saw Zuko that night, he was in a tuxedo that fit him well. Dashing in every way, but she knew she wasn’t attracted to him. Not romantically at least. 

Katara gave him a quick glance and kept walking towards where drinks were being given. She grabbed a flute of Champagne and looked around her. Drinking in the atmosphere of the party. People laughing and dancing. Others in the corner in deep conversation smoking their cigarettes or drinking. Katara was almost amused but not quite. This was just another party nothing new. Katara felt a tap on her shoulder and turned around. To little surprise, it was the man she saw earlier in the tuxedo. He had a wry smile on his face. 

“May I have this dance?” He asked. Katara smirked and set her flute of Champagne down. 

“I suppose.” She replied and took him by his hand. His palm was damp with sweat. She held back a roll of her eyes. Typical.

~

The next day, Katara sat in the living room, sewing a pattern on a handkerchief. Sitting with her family. Her father sitting reading the paper. Sokka also reading the day’s news. Katara was lost in thought when she was interrupted by Sokka. 

“Who was the man you were dancing with last night?” He asked not so nonchalantly. 

“Which one?” She replied dismissively. “There were many.” 

Hakoda interjected. “That was Zuko. He’s a Fire Nation bacteriologist doctor and has his own practice in the Earth Kingdom.” 

Katara shrugged and continued to sew. 

~

Katara was bored. A couple hours later she got up from her seat and set down her handkerchief. She walked over to the door for an evening walk. When she opened the door, Zuko, the microbiologist her father had invited the night before stood before her. He had a heart shaped box in his hands. He looked as surprised as she did. 

“Hello.”  
“Hi.” She replied. Zuko swallowed and stammered a bit but gave up coming up with an explanation of why he was at her door. He simply handed her the box.  
“Your father invited me over.” Zuko said, finally giving an explanation.  
“I’m going out for a walk.” She stated.  
“May I join you?” He asked nervously.  
“I suppose.” She replied sniffy. 

~

They took a walk to the market. Mindless babble and small talk. They talked about his occupation as a doctor. She replied with her own occupation being a woman who didn’t do much. Katara didn’t mind not having a particular occupation. She tried to act fascinated with his small talk, but couldn’t help but feel her mind wander to other topics. Katara led them to her favorite florist shop. She walked in and browsed the fresh flowers. Silence shrouded their mood as she looked at the flowers. Katara could feel Zuko’s eyes on her. 

“It’s a shame that these flowers won’t last but a day. Such a beautiful thing just to wilt and die in the hours to come.” She commented to break the silence between them. Zuko was quiet but nodded. 

“I suppose you’re right. They’re still beautiful nonetheless and still enjoyable for their short life.” He replied. Katara shrugged and continued to look at the flowers. They were silent again. 

Katara picked up a Fire Lily and smelled its sweet scent. Zuko cleared his throat to grasp her attention. She set the flower down and looked over at him. Raising an eyebrow Zuko spoke. 

“I didn’t come to your home to visit you. Or rather, I did, but I came to ask if you would marry me.” He stated nervously. “Since I have laid eyes on you, you have taken my breath away.” 

Katara couldn’t hide a blush. She had been with men who had been forward, but none of them had asked for her hand in marriage before. She gave him an even look. 

“I appreciate your affections, Doctor. I will kindly have to decline. I unfortunately do not return or reciprocate your feelings. I apologize.” She gave him a soft look. “I hope you do find someone who does return the affections.” 

~  
The walk home was agonizingly quiet but Zuko was still polite and walked her home as a gentlemen. At the door he tipped his hat at her and walked off to his own living quarters. Katara felt a small amount of guilt at her rejection towards his straight forward offer. As she walked through the door she couldn’t help but hear Hakoda on the telephone. 

“Yes. A spring wedding will be beautiful. He asked her this morning. Yes. Yes.” 

Katara’s ears perked up at the revelation that her brother had asked his lover for her hand. It surprised her due to the fact that he didn’t seem the marriage type. 

“Ah, mhm. Katara? Why I’ve given up on her ages ago.” Hakoda said quietly. 

Katara felt anger bubble up inside of her. How dare he say he had given up on her and her love history. Though she hadn’t been very interested in the men who had tried to court her in the past, she couldn’t help but feel a small fraction of betrayal. Hakoda knew that she would marry when she loved the man, but not be in a loveless marriage with a boring character of a man. Katara came to the conclusion that she would show him. She would show everyone she was capable of being a wife. 

~

The wedding was small and quaint. When Zuko heard the news of her changed mind and acceptance he was overjoyed. He knew for a fact that she didn’t love him, but he was going to marry her despite it all. Zuko had high hopes that she would grow to love him. That’s all he could do. To pray that she would find love in their marriage.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope this wasn't too bad. I know it was very OOC, but again, I wanted it to mirror Kitty and Walter's characters. I apologize if there were many grammatical errors, I don't have a beta reader yet. Chapters will be fairly short too.


End file.
